Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G2/00—Vegetative propagation
  • A01G2/30—Grafting
  • A01G2/32—Automatic apparatus therefor

Definitions

• the present invention refers to a method and a machine for grafting vine propagation material such as cuttings and scions, as well as rootstock of similar plant varieties.
• the kind of grafting used has been found to greatly affect the yield and the physiologic equilibrium of the future vineyard, which may sometimes degenerate into real pathological forms due to formation of quite abnormal hyperplasias.
• omega grafting As compared with fit-in grafting, omega grafting has been found to usually originate less regular cicatrization calluses (and, therefore, lower yields) or even hyperdeveloped and fasciate calluses, under most serious problems arising as far as translocation of both crude and mature, i.e. elaborate sap is concerned.
• the omega grafting method has succeeded in gaining widespread acceptance owing to the far greater productivity it ensures as compared with the fit-in grafting method (i.e. 500 grafts/hour/person for the omega grafting methods versus 125 grafts/hour/person for the groove-and-tongue fit grafting method).
• a grafting machine (1- or 2-stroke omega machine) is used for the omega method, while a machine, as usually referred to as "celerina” in the local technical parlance, is used for groove-and-tongue fit grafting, which works by providing "groove-and-tongue” cuts by means of two distinct cutting mills at the distal end of the cutting and the basal end of the scion, respectively.
• the "celerina” machine is less efficient, less safe, and more prone to wear-out.
• the French patent publication FR 2 541 562 describes a machine of this kind, which comprises a plurality of carriages moving along on a chain conveyor and provided with moving grippers used to hold the rootstock cuttings and the scions in an overlapping position in which they lie above each other. Cutting the appropriate ends of the cuttings and the scions is performed by means of a single, duly shaped knife that, while performing a single stroke in a direction running orthogonally to the axis of the elements to be grafted , both heels and cuts the ends to be joined with each other. The machine shall then axially align the cutting and the scion with each other for grafting to be able to be completed correctly. Finally, the grafted stock must be unloaded.
• EP 1 566 093 Described in EP 1 566 093 is a fully automated grafting machine, which is provided with devices to individually measure and select the graft-carrying cuttings and the scions, wherein such cuttings and scions are picked up from respective containers and are moved along on belt and vibration, i.e. shaker conveyors.
• This solution appears to be quite complex from a construction point of view and is also quite likely to expose the parts to be grafted to damages, given the difficulty in having them handled with the due sensitivity and gentleness.
• a further purpose of the present invention is to provide a kind of graft, the geometry, i.e. shape of which is such as to offer the largest possible exchange or boundary surface of the interface zones between the parts being grafted, so as to obtain an optimum effect as far as the resulting cicatrization is concerned.
• Yet another purpose of the present invention is to provide a machine that is both simple and compact, and is further capable of being operated in as safe as possible manner by an operator.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a machine according to the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a detail of the machine shown in Figure 1 , as viewed in the grafting operating position thereof;
• FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of another detail of the machine illustrated in Figure 1 ;
• - Figure 4 is a schematic elevational view of the rear side of the machine illustrated in Figure 1 ;
• FIG. 5 is a partial view of another detail of the machine illustrated in Figure 1 ;
• FIG. 6 is a view of two elements to be grafted after a processing step performed with the machine shown in Figure 1 ;
• Figure 7 is a view of the elements shown in Figure 6, as viewed after them having been grafted by the machine according to the present invention.
• a machine according to the present invention for grafting grapevine cuttings and scions is substantially comprised of a support framework or chassis 10, on which there can be identified following function zones: loading position 1 , pick-up position 2, heeling or seating position 3, milling position 4 for cutting out the groove-and-tongue joint, and grafting position 5.
• the shaft 17 is a motor-driven one and drives the grippers 11 to rotate by an angle of 180° so as to bring a cutting 12 and a scion 13 - having their axes aligned with and opposing each other, respectively - from the loading position 18 to the pick-up position 19 for heeling (as represented in the schematical side view of
• the cutting and the scion are then transferred by the grippers 11 to respective clamps 20 attached to a slide 21 mounted on the chassis 10 and adapted to be driven so as to slide on a horizontal plane.
• the clamps 20 are so shaped and configured as to be able to grip and hold both cuttings and scions in a most appropriate manner.
• the cutting mills 14 are driven to rotate about a horizontal shaft 22 ( Figure 3) to perform and complete heeling of both the cutting 12 and the scion 13 concurrently, while the stumps being removed are cleared away.
• the slide 21 is driven - e.g. by an electric motor (not shown) - to slide along runners 23 and, while in this way moving to the right in Figures 1 and 3, carries the cutting 12 and the scion 13 into the working area of the cutting mills 15 and 16 that are in turn driven to rotate about respective vertical shafts 24 and 25.
• the cutting mill 15 provided for the cuttings comprises two wheels lying above each other ( Figure 3) so as to be able to cut out two axial carvings in the cutting 12, as this is best shown in Figure 6.
• the cutting mill 16 provided for the scions comprises three wheels lying above each other ( Figure 3) so as to be able to cut out three axial carvings in the scion
• the clamps 20 are provided with respective horizontal grooves 30 (Figure 5), through which the cutting mills 16 and 16, which are provided in a co-planar arrangement with the same grooves, are therefore able to pass in view of cutting out the carvings in the elements to be grafted.
• This particular feature practically enables the carving operation to be carried out as the elements to be grafted are firmly held by the clamps 20, thereby reducing the risk for the same elements to suffer damages to a minimum.
• FIG 4 is an elevational schematic rear view of the machine looking directly onto the grafting station thereof.
• the clamps 20 are driven to slide horizontally on the slide 21 in a direction extending orthogonally to the direction of displacement of the same slide 21 , so as to move closer to each other.
• the displacement of the clamps 20 on the slide 21 is controlled so as to most accurately graft the respective milled ends of the cutting 12 and the scion 13 with each other, as this is best shown in Figures 2 and 7.
• the embodiment described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2 represents a simplified solution, in which the clamp 20 holding the cutting is stationary, while it is the clamp 20 holding the scion that moves to complete grafting.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Botany (AREA)
• Developmental Biology & Embryology (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Cultivation Of Plants (AREA)
• Sawing (AREA)
• Breeding Of Plants And Reproduction By Means Of Culturing (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Citations (6)

• 2007
  • 2007-06-19 IT IT000043A patent/ITPN20070043A1/it unknown
• 2008
  • 2008-05-27 ME MEP-2009-350A patent/ME00963B/me unknown
  • 2008-05-27 PT PT08760107T patent/PT2161982E/pt unknown
  • 2008-05-27 WO PCT/EP2008/056511 patent/WO2008155199A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2008-05-27 ES ES08760107T patent/ES2388908T3/es active Active
  • 2008-05-27 SI SI200830799T patent/SI2161982T1/sl unknown
  • 2008-05-27 EP EP08760107A patent/EP2161982B1/en active Active
• 2012
  • 2012-08-16 HR HRP20120663AT patent/HRP20120663T1/hr unknown

Patent Citations (6)

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